


Together We Rise

by Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky



Series: Medivh's Curse [3]
Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Illness, LionTrust, M/M, Warcraft: The Beginning AU, canon level violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:46:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7697164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky/pseuds/Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two damaged men struggle:</p><p>One is broken by death and betrayal.<br/>The other is left debilitated after a fierce battle leaves him cursed.</p><p>Alone they fall; but together they might find the strength to save themselves and each other...and maybe even the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together We Rise

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU and as mentioned before, anything that doesn't mesh with the official WoW timelines can be chalked up to that.
> 
> Also, I am making no money from this and do not own the characters. I'm only playing in their world

 

A mass of people waited in the courtyard as Commander Lothar directed them all. Today they were hoping to cleanse as much of the corrupted fel energy from the Karazhan explosion as possible.

“Deadwind Pass is now full of various forms of undead. I've been assured that the energy being raised today is going to draw them like a beacon. You've each been assigned to a group within a ring. The outer ring is our first line of defense. The inner ring is to defend the mages cleansing the fel _at all costs_. What they'll be doing today is saving all our asses, so make sure they are protected!  
“I've already been asked...repeatedly...why we're not having the mages portal us in. The answer is that the area is unsafe, and we don't need to port straight into mobs. So stop asking!” Some laughter could be heard from the crowd. “Mount up and let's go.”

Temporary chaos ensued as the mass of people climbed aboard the many griffons that had been pulled together. Many rode double. Anduin turned and looked over his shoulder. “You ready?”

Khadgar nodded. “Let's go!”

Their gryphon launched itself into the air, wings beating powerfully. They rose and circled over the castle. The rest followed closely behind, and the Queen watched them go. Her face was calm, but her knuckles were white where she clutched her skirts. The Lion of Azeroth and the mage who defeated Medivh needed to save the Kingdom, but Taria was hoping her family came home.

They had chosen a spot that was big enough for everybody. The rocky pass didn't have a lot of those, so it limited their options. As each griffon arrived, it dropped off its occupants and flew back. His men moved outwards to make sure the area was clear, and groups began forming the defensive rings. Shouts and sounds of a skirmish rang from the north and he sent a runner to find out what was happening. The fighting had already settled down when word returned that some sort of large bird had attacked. It was down, everybody was fine, and the group was in place.

Everybody got in their assigned spots and they were ready to go. The twenty five mages had formed up around a small rock formation. They hoped to use it as a focus to channel the energies outward. Khadgar tapped his staff three times and began speaking the words to pool their energies. One by one, each voice added to the power. All twenty five had joined, and the light was already so bright that any watching them had been forced to turn outward.

An eerie howl drew Anduin's attention and while he couldn't see where it was coming from, he could tell that a group on the outer circle had already engaged in combat. Shouts rang out from another direction, and he could only assume that they'd already garnered attention.

The magic behind him changed and the ground began to vibrate. Glancing back, he saw that they had begun channeling into the stone and outward. Already, a blue-white glow had crept past his feet. He turned back in time to see a wraith of some kind come wafting in his direction. Spells of all colors were already shooting at it, and it dissipated leaving only the sound of its eerie wail behind.

The blue glow of cleansing magic had already spread past their area, and the chanting behind him continued steadily. He could see a group on the outer ring get overwhelmed, and he saw another group pull one of the wraiths off and begin to fight it. As far as he could see, everybody there was still up.

Spells were cast somewhere behind him and he turned. A mass of undead had breached the first line and were now moving quickly towards the glowing source of power. He shouted out, directing people to head them off. He could now see a group on his side being pushed back towards the inner line of defense. As much as he wanted to help, he had to hold his section.  
  
Soon enough, he was engaged in battle. There were far more of these things than they'd spotted in all of their fly overs, and he wondered where they were all coming from. He ducked under the arm of some sort of shambling thing and skewered a wraith. With a flash of light the wraith screamed its death cry, and he spun to lop off the head of shambling monster. He spotted movement and realized something had slipped by all of them and was almost on the mages. With a yell, he ran forward. Anduin dodged past grasping undead hands while avoiding other battles, and the spells being thrown through the air.

He threw himself at the creature and swung his sword. Unlike with the others, it didn't seem to do as much damage- though it did get its attention. It moved closer to him, and he felt goosebumps rise along his flesh. Anduin's teeth began to chatter and his breath formed a cloud. Shaking himself, he tried to pull his head from the daze he was suddenly in.  
  
The being reached for him and he barely dodged away. With a loud cry he rallied himself and began began weaving around its grasping arms. He hit it where he could, and kept trying to draw it back from the mage's circle. His lungs felt like ice but he kept fighting, trying to damage this thing. Fear and fury rose in him and with a speed he rarely achieved, he rained blow after blow down. Finally...finally the creature cried out and it evaporated.

His head hung as he panted, breath still shuddering in in his chest. Despite feeling cold down to his bones, he straightened his shoulders. With one last look at Khadgar and the mages, he turned back to the battle. Time spun from his awareness until all he knew was the increasingly heavy drag of the sword. His only thoughts were of his next strike. He watched dumbly as a bolt of blue struck his opponent, causing it to scream. Blasts of fire and magic began firing from the center of the clearing and he realized belatedly that the mages had joined the fight.

He was too numb to be relieved. He turned and Khadgar was there, spells dancing from his fingertips and determination in his glowing eyes. One brightly lit hand reached out briefly as the mage slipped by; a short caress, and then he was gone. Anduin followed in his wake, fighting anything still standing. Soon, though, all that was left were the groans of the injured and the bodies of the dead.  
  
Anduin tried to rouse himself enough to rally his men and get the injured triaged. Instead, he found himself on his knees in the dirt, aching from the bitter cold that had nestled itself in the very core of him. He heard someone shouting and soon Khadgar was kneeling next to him. The younger man fumbled through a bag and pulled out a vial. “Drink this.” Turning to someone else he ordered, “Find a healer for Commander Lothar!”

The mage urged the potion past frozen lips and Anduin felt a small amount of life return to him. Khadgar moved in front of him; warm hands cupping his face. He could see the other man's concern, hear words spill from his mouth...but it all washed over him. Other hands were soon on him and warmth flooded his body. He sagged in relief, leaning forward into Khadgar. He indulged for a few moments and with a sigh, heaved himself to his feet.

He looked around to find that most of the wounded were being treated. Groups of those still able to fight had been shuffled, and they held what once had been the inner circle in a protective perimeter. A portal opened and the severely wounded were carted through. The injured capable of walking were urged through next. That portal shut down and a new one sprang up. Gryphons were flown through, and the dead were loaded on.  
  
Soon the rest of them were transporting out by groups and only Khadgar and Anduin remained. The mage caught his hand and linked their fingers together as they surveyed the area. “It worked far better than I anticipated, but not as well as I'd hoped.”  
  
Anduin snorted. “You were _hoping_ to take care of all evil on Azeroth, right all the wrongs, bring all the dead back to life, and heal the orc's homeworld. That's a stretch, even for you.”

“For now, maybe. I'll work on it.”  
  
Somehow, the warrior knew he meant it.

 

 

It was clear to Anduin and many others that Khadgar wasn't your ordinary mage, even if the man in question couldn't see it for himself yet. He was already a hero twice over for battling Medivh/Sargeras and for his plan to push the fel corruption back. That plan had worked, in large part. The fel eating its way across the continent had been cleansed, though some areas remained. The area by the portal, nicknamed by some as the 'Blasted Lands', was still tainted. It's presence there was muted, and mostly restricted to the strange creatures that had been altered by the corruption.

Other pockets remained, and they realized that orcs had spread further across their continent than they had thought. In those areas, the fel was limited to their settlements. The steady consumption of life by the corrupted energy had been halted, though the face of their world was forever altered. The blasted lands, once a swamp, was now a red husk of lightening storms and twisted creatures. Swamps were now filled with monstrous versions of the wildlife that had once lived there. Whole forests were twisted beyond recognition.

It was in large part due to Khadgar's plan, and his power, that their world was safer now. With that power came a huge price. Medivh's curse ensured that. Strong and bold on the battlefield, it left him frail and hurting afterward. The warrior swore it was aging the mage before his time. Lines had already formed around his eyes and mouth, and grey hairs glittered here and there on the dark head.

Anduin noted them as they sat in the garden at Khadgar's behest. It had been one of his best days since the working, and he'd insisted they go outside in the sunlight. Taria had heard of the excursion and had drinks and snacks provided, to the mage's amusement. “She does seem to like feeding people.”

“You specifically, but yes. She does.” His sister had picked the spot well. A small table of refreshments had been placed near one of the only benches with some sort of back support. Small, colorful pillows dotted the seat. He thought he even spied a few books as well. He still couldn't figure out how she'd pull something like this together only minutes before their arrival.

They hadn't been there long when the woman in question arrived; a mixed group of druids and mages following behind. Anduin recognized many of them as having participated in the battle the previous week. He stood from the spot where he'd been lounging next to his mage. She gave him a small smile, and there was something that looked like hope in her eyes. “Anduin. Khadgar. We were hoping to have a moment of your time.”  
  
It was only then that Khadgar looked up from his book and realized the Queen was there. He moved to stand and bow. Without even looking, Anduin reached back and clapped a hand over his shoulder to keep him from rising. Taria moved forward. “Please, stay seated. I'm glad to see you looking better.”

The mage blushed. “Thank you, your Majesty.”  
  
With a nod, she explained. “I was approached with an intriguing possibility. One which I think might benefit you greatly.” With an elegant wave of her arm, she encompassed the group of magic users behind her. “It is their belief that using your technique to combine and amplify power, they might be able to remove the curse that's been placed upon you.”

Khadgar looked thoughtful. After a moment he looked up. “Medivh was extremely powerful in his own right, and he was backed by the power of Sargeras. You think it's still possible?”  
  
A woman stepped forward from the group. “We do. Druids and mages both have the ability to remove curses, and we've already made sure that both kinds of magic will work together. We're just a sampling of those willing to help. We wanted to make the offer. If you accept, we can try with the group we have. If it doesn't work, we learn from our failure and can make changes for the next attempt.”

Anduin looked down, studying Khadgar's face. The mage looked back, a question in his eyes. He could only shrug. “It's your choice.”

He watched the man think things through more and then look up at the group. “Would I be passive or active in this spellcasting?”

“We are split on that issue. We do believe that the curse is linked to your magic, based on what's been described to us. Some of us feel that with you participating, your magic will aid in the fight and potentially keep it from being used against you. Others feel that by casting with us; it will make it more difficult to target the curse directly. We felt we would leave it up to you.”

Anduin reached down and nudged Khadgar. Once he had his attention, he jerked his chin towards a group of people filtering in to the gardens. It was Pip and his buddies from the Mage Quarters, all of whom had helped in the trial fel cleanings. They had evidently heard about what was going on. Upon seeing them, the mage smiled and gave a decisive nod. “Let's give it a try. I'd like to participate and we'll see how that works.”

Khadgar stood and warned both Anduin and Taria to move back. The Queen moved off to the side, but the warrior only made a rude comment under his breath and moved closer.

Somebody in the original group started the chant and it got picked up all across the garden, where others had come in. Khadgar added his voice and the building light flared to blinding brilliance. The air crackled with power and as one, all the casters focused that energy. It surged into Khadgar and it began to fluctuate wildly. His back arched as an oily black film seemed to stretch and retract. Anduin reached through the power and grabbed him, pulling the mage close and holding on. He could hear him still chanting through his teeth, even as tremors of agony ripped through his frame.  
  
He heard Pip's voice yell his spell out loudly and others followed. Spell after spell flew at the mage and the man released a strangled scream as the black rose off of him, snarled in the air above his head, and disintegrated in the light.

Khadgar immediately went limp, and he lowered him to the ground. A quick check revealed he was still breathing. A cleric came from somewhere and a glow surrounded the unconscious mage. Brown eyes blinked open, and a cheer rang out. Anduin stood and carefully pulled Khadgar up with him. They were soon surrounded by happy, cheering people who all wanted to hug the mage.

The Queen declared an impromptu celebration. More chairs and refreshments were brought into the garden. Drinks were passed around and somebody started a drinking chanty. Anduin was surprised. Who knew mages and druids knew how to party?

They were back on the bench in the quieter corner of the garden, watching as people celebrated. They weren't just celebrating the removal of the curse. They were celebrating all of their victories and mourning all their losses; reveling in the fact that they were alive and hope remained. Anduin looked over and saw that Khadgar's eyes were drooping shut. He nudged him a little with an elbow and the mage just leaned further into his side. Even the man's voice was sleepy. “...'m tired.”

 

Taria watched from her seat nearby as her brother smiled. It was genuine, and so very rare. She saw his blue eyes fill with warmth as he levered Khadgar to his feet. People greeted them as they passed, often reaching out to touch the mage. He always offered a tired wave in return, even as Anduin deftly wove them through the crowd.

Her brother teased that she liked to care for people; but this was the man who tended a comatose Guardian for years with no hope of affection in return. This was the man who took on an army of orcs to bring Llane's body back. He cared deeply, even if his pain had damaged his ability to express it.

 

Khadgar was growing into his powers under her brother's watchful eyes. She was well aware that the mage had enemies out there, but she was determined to protect both men. Because while Khadgar was blooming, his trust and innocence were healing her brother. For that, she would wield all the powers available to her as Queen and Regent.

 


End file.
